ANDY Flintoff handed Lancashire an injury worry at Old Trafford yesterday - although physio Lawrie Brown insisted there is no threat to his place on England's winter tour.

Flintoff was forced out of the Lancashire attack on the first day of the Championship match against Kent when he strained a muscle in his side bowling his fifth over.

He completed the over at half pace and even returned to the field for a brief spell after lunch but when he left again shortly afterwards Brown confirmed: "He won't be bowling or batting again today.

"But the fact that he was able to finish the over means we're pretty confident it's a strain rather than a tear, so at this stage there is no danger for South Africa in the winter."

Flintoff is unlikely to bowl again in the Kent match, leaving Lancashire with only two seamers in Peter Martin and Glen Chapple after their decision to go into the game with three spinners.

He was prevented from coming in until number seven today after spending most of yesterday off the field as Kent piled up 388-9. And he must be a doubt both for next week's final Championship game of the season against Somerset at Taunton, and also the crucial last two National League fixtures against Kent at Old Trafford this Sunday and at title rivals Worcester seven days later. Lancashire missed Flintoff yesterday although as he had failed to take a wicket in his first five overs they could hardly use the injury as a major excuse. Other than Chris Schofield, who claimed another four wickets, they did not bowl especially well on a pitch already offering some turn. But credit to Kent, who batted superbly. to show why they are battling with Lancashire for places in the top four. After Chapple had dismissed their openers Robert Key and Ed Smith in his first three overs, Alan Wells and Andrew Symonds counter-attacked brilliantly in a third wicket stand of added 169 in 38 overs. Gary Keedy had England paceman Dean Headley caught behind for 72 this morning to wrap up the Kent innings.

With 24 runs on the board opener John Crawley was caught Robert Key off Min Patel's bowling for just nine.

Then, after Martin and Gary Keedy claimed a wicket each and Schofield bowled Symonds round his legs to leave Kent on 205-5, Mark Ealham and Matthew Fleming shared another important partnership.

And even after Schofield had taken two more wickets to make it 313-8, England paceman Dean Headley batted impressively to reach a 68-ball 50.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.